5 Hindi Movies Based In The Heartlands Of India

Hindi movies are famous all over the world for their larger-than-life and fantastical depictions of life, snappy and quirky one liners and elaborate dance sequences. Additionally, Hindi movies also have the reputation of mostly being romantic dramas or comedies. But every now and then, a filmmaker who decides to go against such norms comes along. Instead of setting their stories in the metropolitan regions of the country, they choose to ground their stories in the rural areas of the subcontinent. Additionally, instead of weaving an entirely fictitious episode for the sake of entertainment, these storytellers choose to tell a grounded and relatable tale that has more in common with reality. This article will talk about 5 such films that you can add to your list.

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Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017)

This Ashwini Iyer Tiwary directorial, as the name suggests, is set in the quaint and charming city of Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. The main protagonist of this movie is Bittu (Kriti Sanon), an ambitious rebel who seeks to explore life beyond the borders of her city. One fine day, she falls in love with a book and subsequently becomes determined to meet the author, Chirag Dubey (Ayushmann Khurrana). Dubey ends up getting a whiff of this, which prompts him to send his dear friend, Pritam Vidrohi (Rajkummar Rao), in his place. This decision leads to a set of heart-warming and heart-breaking events that have been woven together to make an emotionally impactful movie. This 2017 sleeper hit has an IMDb rating of 7.5/10 and can be streamed on ZEE5 Global.

Saand Ki Aankh (2019)

This Tushar Hiranandani directorial sees Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar in the lead roles. It is a saga about two women (Played by Pannu and Pednekar) who are in their 60s and have spent their entire lives in a patriarchal society. One day, they accidentally discover their marksmanship skills, which they go on to refine with the help of an instructor. This feature was an audacious feat that garnered a lot of critical acclaim, but it failed to get its due during its theatrical run. Irrespective, this film is an engaging watch for sure. This movie can also be streamed on ZEE5 Global.

Sonchiriya (2019)

This unlikely action drama flick boasts a formidable cast list, including the late Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, and Ranvir Shorey. This film is based on the dacoit culture of the village of Chambal, and the reality of such a scenario is highlighted through a story about an unlikely chance encounter between Rajput’s and Pednekar’s characters. This film is full of twists and turns and comes packed with an ample amount of surprise value. Sonchiriya can be streamed on ZEE5 Global as well.

Pataakha (2018)

This Vishal Bhardwaj film is about two village-based quarreling sisters who have separate future ambitions of their own, but the themes explored here are fairly universal. In this film, while one warring sister can be seen wanting to complete her school education in order to open one of her own, the other can be seen harboring ambitions of getting into the dairy business. Their lives change for the better and worse at the same time when they marry their individual suitors. Through this feature, Bharadwaj explores the strength of a bond between sisters, the ambitious nature of women, and the importance of grittiness.

Sui Dhaaga- Made In India (2018)

This heartfelt dramedy tracks the journey that a Meerut-based couple embarks on in order to attain financial self-sufficiency. It also explores the challenges that they endure along the way. Renowned actors Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma help this story come alive as their characters, Mauji and Mamta, respectively. This Hindi movie can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.